Fire agency provides credit cards to state

When the San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District this year contracted out its core service of fire protection to Cal Fire, the agency sent something else along, too — its credit cards.

Although the fire district has just five employees left on staff, it maintains 31 credit cards for making routine purchases.

Most of the cards are now used by chiefs and captains who work for the state of California, which took over firefighting duties Jan. 1 due to the district’s severe budgetary constraints.

San Miguel officials said the credit accounts save time and money, and note that the cards are not to be used without prior approval from Fire Chief Gary Croucher, who is employed by the state.

Nancy Roos, the district secretary, said the agency saves with the credit cards because Cal Fire would otherwise charge an 11.5 percent administrative fee on each purchase.

Records show the credit cards have paid for car washes, meals and purchases at Amazon.com, among other things, according to statements obtained by U-T Watchdog under the California Public Records Act.

Most of the charges, which total just over $95,000 for the 18 months ending in July, were for gas, car parts, travel expenses, groceries and other costs associated with routine district business.

Under the outsourcing agreement, Cal Fire provides emergency-response services to residents of the San Miguel district, which stretches from Spring Valley to Rancho San Diego to the unincorporated areas of La Mesa and El Cajon.

With more than 150,000 constituents, San Miguel is the largest fire district in the county.

San Miguel board member Karrie Johnston said the credit cards — and all district spending — are completely appropriate.

“We have bids on everything we need bids on, not going behind anyone’s backs,” she said during a special meeting called Wednesday to examine the district’s budget.

Board member William Kiel said he did not know the district issued credit cards to Cal Fire employees until he was asked about the program by a reporter this week.

Kiel criticized a new policy that prevents board members from approaching staff or Cal Fire officials directly with questions about district practices. Instead, they are supposed to go through board President Chris Winter.

“The fact that this board is insulated from staff bothers me,” Kiel said following the Wednesday meeting. “The only way I would have found out about this is interacting with staff.”

Kiel said that while he likes the idea of saving the 11.5 percent administrative fee imposed by Cal Fire on San Miguel purchases, he worries about a lack of oversight.

“There may have been abuse in the past,” Kiel said. “I don’t know that there is any now, but one thing (the) board does not have a chance to look at is the charges, at least not something that we review.”